I can only think of one time when I have been so compelled to go out and see a band that is firmly planted in the Heavy Metal/Hair Metal arena. Guns and Roses – once during the second run of the ‘Use Your Illusion’ Tour and once a few months before Chinese Democracy was released ( see post)- is the only metal band that I went on my own exclusive volition to pay good money to see. The sole non-GnR exception is the recent Faster Pussycat show. Admittedly though, I probably would not have bothered if I didn’t know that Taime Downe was a solid contributor to Pigface. [For the sake of full disclosure, I did also see Van Halen with David Lee Roth a few years ago, but the ultimate decision to go was under duress or at least very heavily influenced by others.]
With most of the titans of the metal genre (the successful ones anyway) becoming bloated and progressively uncool (Motley Crue, Metallica, GNR, etc) it was nice to see Faster Pussycat have the appropriate ‘look’ along with drug-induced sunken faces to lead me to believe these dudes are the real thing. Who cares if the vocalist Taime Downe is the only original member? The team who were up there nicely fit the bill of what a heroin-chic glam-metal band should look like. Furthermore their sound was as filthy as their look and a much improvement over the 80s recorded output (as I recall it anyway). Good show.
Download: Faster Pussycat – Bathroom Wall (Live)
[audio: http://www.thesoundofindie.com/archive/2010/20100820/FPC-BathroomWall.mp3|titles=Bathroom Wall (Live)|artists=Faster Pussycat]
Though I feel the same as you about metal, I am strangely drawn to the Slayer/Megadeth/Anthrax show coming up in New Orleans. The crowd would be at least as entertaining as the bands.
Slayer. I could be convinced to see them, but they are an arena band and therefore the cash outlay and time commitment is pretty high. There seems to be a steady drip of death metal bands around here, but I don’t know which ones are worth checking out. If I go to a death metal show, I want to go first class, natch. I know that Finland harbors the most gnarly of the genre but it would require a bit of research and I am a very lazy man. I must mention that Van Halen was totally worth it based alone on the audience antics/fight that happened right behind me. Give it this show a spin and report back.
You’re right about the cost: $70 plus fees per GA ticket for what would be an essentially touristic experience. I have a feeling it’s not likely to happen. I love that the tour is sponsored by Jagermeister, though.